Al-Shabaab terrorists lose key sites

[ByaseL]

Monday, 4th October, 2010

Museveni greets officers from the EU military committee at State House Entebbe. The team is here to discuss the Somalia war





By Herbert Ssempogo
and Anne Mugisa

THE al-Shabaab, an outfit infamous for terror in Somalia, has lost more strategic positions and areas to the transitional government forces backed by the Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers.

Uganda has some 4,300 troops in Somalia supporting the country’s embattled government against the Islamist insurgents.

In July, al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the bomb blasts that claimed 79 lives in Kampala. The militants said they were opposed to Uganda’s presence in Somalia.

The secured areas are in the Somali capital Mogadishu, according to a statement from the AMISOM force spokesman, Major Barigye Ba-Hoku.

Newly captured areas are Taribune Square, the former military hospital, Taleh Hotel and many other places in that area. The areas are close to Bakara Market, the group’s launching pad for mortars that wreak havoc in the city.

“The move into these positions is designed to inhibit the group’s ability to hide behind non-combatants and should result in a drastic reduction of civilian casualties in the city. Their ejection from Bakara is also expected to reduce their means of making war as they have been extorting money from the traders at the market,” Major Barigye Ba-Hoku’s statement said.

Clan divisions and disputes over command, policies and the role of foreign fighters within Al-Shabaab are believed to have caused the losses Al-Shabaab suffered in the August/September offensive

Barigye also revealed that the Al-Shabaab’s deputy commander-in-chief, Mukhtar Robow, has since withdrawn his forces from the city owing to rifts within the extremist group and moved his forces to Bay and Bakool regions of southern Somalia.

Robow is reportedly considering forming a new group to be called Al Itihadul Islamia, and is apparently consolidating his forces in anticipation of a coming fight with his former comrades – most probably Ahmed Godane’s group, Takfir.

Barigye said there were also reports that Robow had been expelled from the 10 member Shura Council that is made up of 4 Somalis and 6 foreigners, a sign of foreign domination of the Al Shabaab.

Robow’s forces, mostly from the Rahawein clan, bore the brunt of these casualties, with nearly 10 percent of the estimated two thousand men he had deployed in the city killed

“The withdrawal of Robow’s fighters is a massive body blow to the Al-Shabaab insurgents as they constituted a big portion of the group’s fighting force during the offensive. The extremists are attempting to replace the lost capacity by abducting children into service. Sources say nearly 2000 children are being held and undergoing training in the group’s camps in Central Somalia,” Barigye said.

He is allegedly close to Hassan Dahir Aweys, leader of the rival Hizbul Islam militia, who has also pulled out his forces from the capital. This leaves Al-Shabaab isolated at a time when the Transitional Federal Government troops, supported by African Union forces are making gains on the ground in Mogadishu.


Meanwhile, the European Union Military Committee, the highest military body in the EU Council arrived in Uganda yesterday to on a two day visit to discuss the Somalia crisis.

The committee members are drawn from Generals of the European member state armies.

The 27 Chiefs of Defence of the EU member States led by their Chairman from Sweden, Gen. Hakan Syren met President Yoweri Museveni at State House before holding meetings with Ugandan Generals at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Entebbe. A communiqué issued by the EU yesterday said that Africa is high on the list of strategic partners.

 

[The Quonquerer]

Monday, 4th October, 2010

Museveni greets officers from the EU military committee at State House Entebbe. The team is here to discuss the Somalia war





By Herbert Ssempogo
and Anne Mugisa

THE al-Shabaab, an outfit infamous for terror in Somalia, has lost more strategic positions and areas to the transitional government forces backed by the Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers.

Uganda has some 4,300 troops in Somalia supporting the country’s embattled government against the Islamist insurgents.

In July, al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the bomb blasts that claimed 79 lives in Kampala. The militants said they were opposed to Uganda’s presence in Somalia.

The secured areas are in the Somali capital Mogadishu, according to a statement from the AMISOM force spokesman, Major Barigye Ba-Hoku.

Newly captured areas are Taribune Square, the former military hospital, Taleh Hotel and many other places in that area. The areas are close to Bakara Market, the group’s launching pad for mortars that wreak havoc in the city.

“The move into these positions is designed to inhibit the group’s ability to hide behind non-combatants and should result in a drastic reduction of civilian casualties in the city. Their ejection from Bakara is also expected to reduce their means of making war as they have been extorting money from the traders at the market,” Major Barigye Ba-Hoku’s statement said.

Clan divisions and disputes over command, policies and the role of foreign fighters within Al-Shabaab are believed to have caused the losses Al-Shabaab suffered in the August/September offensive

Barigye also revealed that the Al-Shabaab’s deputy commander-in-chief, Mukhtar Robow, has since withdrawn his forces from the city owing to rifts within the extremist group and moved his forces to Bay and Bakool regions of southern Somalia.

Robow is reportedly considering forming a new group to be called Al Itihadul Islamia, and is apparently consolidating his forces in anticipation of a coming fight with his former comrades – most probably Ahmed Godane’s group, Takfir.

Barigye said there were also reports that Robow had been expelled from the 10 member Shura Council that is made up of 4 Somalis and 6 foreigners, a sign of foreign domination of the Al Shabaab.

Robow’s forces, mostly from the Rahawein clan, bore the brunt of these casualties, with nearly 10 percent of the estimated two thousand men he had deployed in the city killed

“The withdrawal of Robow’s fighters is a massive body blow to the Al-Shabaab insurgents as they constituted a big portion of the group’s fighting force during the offensive. The extremists are attempting to replace the lost capacity by abducting children into service. Sources say nearly 2000 children are being held and undergoing training in the group’s camps in Central Somalia,” Barigye said.

He is allegedly close to Hassan Dahir Aweys, leader of the rival Hizbul Islam militia, who has also pulled out his forces from the capital. This leaves Al-Shabaab isolated at a time when the Transitional Federal Government troops, supported by African Union forces are making gains on the ground in Mogadishu.


Meanwhile, the European Union Military Committee, the highest military body in the EU Council arrived in Uganda yesterday to on a two day visit to discuss the Somalia crisis.

The committee members are drawn from Generals of the European member state armies.

The 27 Chiefs of Defence of the EU member States led by their Chairman from Sweden, Gen. Hakan Syren met President Yoweri Museveni at State House before holding meetings with Ugandan Generals at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Entebbe. A communiqué issued by the EU yesterday said that Africa is high on the list of strategic partners.

Congs for Uganda and Burundi! But what's is Kenya doing about it? when it's even on her next door? with all that braggging of their military might, how come they are not there? cowardice, nyang'aus shouldn't wait countries like uganda and burundi to help them! didn't they morons say they run the best trained army in africa/the region with the best military hardware on the continent at their disposal!

 

[Smatta]

One thing you should note is that 6000 refugees are crossing into Kenya from Somalia daily, the number of Al-Shabaab fighters within the country is not known- coz its now obvious that they are in all the East African countries, and Kenya is still playing a major role in Somali mediation, so in my point of view, we will be losing if we send our disciplined forces into Somali. Kenya has to be neutral in the Somali issue, sending troops will definitely jeopardize its effort to bring dialogue between the fighting forces in Somali. The number of Somali's in Kenya is very high thus making us vulnerable to attacks (read terrorism) from within. In order to win a war you must strategies, you dont go to war just because our neighbor is a pain in the azz, what will Kenya gain if it goes to war with Somali- we have much more to lose than gain in case of any confrontation. If fighting Somali will prove our military might, I think its better for our soldiers to remain in the barracks and wait for a much organized army that might offend us.

 

[The Quonquerer]

One thing you should note is that 6000 refugees are crossing into Kenya from Somalia daily, the number of Al-Shabaab fighters within the country is not known- coz its now obvious that they are in all the East African countries, and Kenya is still playing a major role in Somali mediation, so in my point of view, we will be losing if we send our disciplined forces into Somali. Kenya has to be neutral in the Somali issue, sending troops will definitely jeopardize its effort to bring dialogue between the fighting forces in Somali. The number of Somali's in Kenya is very high thus making us vulnerable to attacks (read terrorism) from within. In order to win a war you must strategies, you dont go to war just because our neighbor is a pain in the azz, what will Kenya gain if it goes to war with Somali- we have much more to lose than gain in case of any confrontation. If fighting Somali will prove our military might, I think its better for our soldiers to remain in the barracks and wait for a much organized army that might offend us.

As much as i understand your concern, you should not as well expect any level playing field in any battle. You fight it the way it's! The are no rules in that game!

 

[Smatta]

As much as i understand your concern, you should not as well expect any level playing field in any battle. You fight it the way it's! The are no rules in that game!

I understand what you are saying, but you should understand that the Somali issue is complex, dealing with terrorists is not like engaging an organized army, Al-shabaab is definately going to benefit more than Kenya if we wedged war. Remember when Ethiopia wedged war on them, they gained support from other Somali clans which were not supporting them in the first place, foreign fighters joined Al-shabaab from as far as the United States, bringing with them experience and resources thus making Al-Shabaab stronger. the only way to win Somali is through dialogue, not war as you propose.

 

[The Quonquerer]

I understand what you are saying, but you should understand that the Somali issue is complex, dealing with terrorists is not like engaging an organized army, Al-shabaab is definately going to benefit more than Kenya if we wedged war. Remember when Ethiopia wedged war on them, they gained support from other Somali clans which were not supporting them in the first place, foreign fighters joined Al-shabaab from as far as the United States, bringing with them experience and resources thus making Al-Shabaab stronger. the only way to win Somali is through dialogue, not war as you propose.

And when are you winning it?

 

[Smatta]

And when are you winning it?

Not anytime soon, and am for dialogue. There's no need of fighting wars that wont end.

 

[Abunwasi]

One thing you should note is that 6000 refugees are crossing into Kenya from Somalia daily, the number of Al-Shabaab fighters within the country is not known- coz its now obvious that they are in all the East African countries, and Kenya is still playing a major role in Somali mediation, so in my point of view, we will be losing if we send our disciplined forces into Somali. Kenya has to be neutral in the Somali issue, sending troops will definitely jeopardize its effort to bring dialogue between the fighting forces in Somali. The number of Somali's in Kenya is very high thus making us vulnerable to attacks (read terrorism) from within. In order to win a war you must strategies, you dont go to war just because our neighbor is a pain in the azz, what will Kenya gain if it goes to war with Somali- we have much more to lose than gain in case of any confrontation. If fighting Somali will prove our military might, I think its better for our soldiers to remain in the barracks and wait for a much organized army that might offend us.

Smatta
Usisahau kusema kuwa kenya is also indirectly benefitting from the situation in somalia's instability by massive investments of monies coming from ransoms collected by insurgents groups in somalia.

 

[Smatta]

Smatta
Usisahau kusema kuwa kenya is also indirectly benefitting from the situation in somalia's instability by massive investments of monies coming from ransoms collected by insurgents groups in somalia.

I dont think we can term it as benefits- Its more or less a liability if you know what I mean, Kenya is slowly becoming the capital of money laundering for pirates. Somali's have heavily invested in Nairobi, the source of the money is questionable and people speculate that it is the millions of dollars paid as ransom to the pirates and investment from the Somali in the diaspora. This money will easily weaken the shilling causing inflation. We cant allow pirates and terrorists to control this economy, coz if they do, they'll start calling the shots and am sure no one will like that. Peace in Somali is for the benefit of all of us, in the long run, no one will benefit if Somali is still at war, its becoming a terorrist heaven thus endangering all our lives and properties.